100 Years of Marrickville Town Hall
Monday 31 January 2022
Inner West Council is celebrating the centenary of Marrickville Town Hall which was officially opened on 11 February 1922.
About 20,000 people witnessed Mayor Henry Morton officially open the hall.
The brick building with sandstone dressings (from Council's quarry at Undercliffe) was described in the opening Official Souvenir as 'undeniably the finest civic hall outside the City of Sydney'.
Internally, it is beautifully wainscoted in French polished Queensland maple, and the stairs are constructed with Terrazzo marble with wrought iron balustrades.
Council’s history team is asking the community for images, stories, events or experiences of Marrickville Town Hall by you or your community group.
Contributions can be made by contacting history archives at History@innerwest.nsw.gov.au
• History Talk: Garden to Pardon, Marrickville Library and Pavilion, Thursday 10 February, 6.30pm – 7.30 pm Register
Local historian Chrys Meader presents the site's history, from market garden to the official opening, from the roaring twenties to the present day.
Marrickville Town Hall has hosted industrial exhibitions, been a rock ‘n’ roll venue in the 1950s, and a home base for multicultural events from the 1970s onwards. It was also famously the set design for the Bruce Beresford film Paradise Road in 1998.
Victoria Johnstone, Council’s Arts Projects and Partnership Leader, will talk about the restoration and history of Winged Victory, an integral part of the Marrickville Town Hall corner.
• Tour, Talk and Music Performance, Marrickville Town Hall, Friday 11 February, 11am and 1.30pm. Register
Part 1: Secrets inside Marrickville's Town Hall
Mark Matheson, former editor with the Royal Australian Historical Society, will lead a behine-the-scenes tour.
Part 2: Wurlitzer theatre organ music performance
John S. Batts and Neil Palmer from Theatre Organ Society of Australia will perform from the time of the silent movies to current day, and will also take requests!
Part 3: The history and restoration of Winged Victory
Victoria Johnstone, Council’s Arts Projects and Partnership Leader, will talk about the restoration and history of Winged Victory, an integral part of the Marrickville Town Hall corner.
For media enquiries, contact Elizabeth Heath, Media and Communications Coordinator, 9392 5334 or Elizabeth.Heath@innerwest.nsw.gov.au